Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1887-03-09

whistled with a species of brcathlesI
frenzy, refused to 60 to dinner in q
voice OF savage irritability, and when
Billy Van Kick arrived with the over
CATERS, red rose and plug hat. he war
received with cold disdain. Mr.. Tidd
had decided not to 60 forth that night,
and he would not trouble Mr.. Van
Kick to remain. Thereupon Mr.. Van
Kick bowed coldly, and was about to
Withdraw when his friend seized him
In his clammy hands and begged him
with historical ardor not to desert him
in his hour of need. Mr.. Van Kick
considered a moment, and then, light
ing cigar and peeling off his coat he
went to work to induce the gulping p.
Livingston Tidd to array himself in the
finery at hand.
AT precisely eight o'clock a woe-be-
gone and pitiful-looking man stood at
the door of the placid-faced maiden
with his hat awry and pair of white
overgaiters on his feet that toed in.
Now, mind what say" said Billy
Van Kick, clutching the lovers arm
with one hand and the bell with the
other, and speaking in a peremptory
voice. "Be sure and do the elegant;
pull down your cuffs and put on an
easy smile, and toss off a few Jokes.
Then take a little flyer into poetry,
an II she shows strong list T.
leeward jam her up into the wind an
keep her there. After this take her
hand in yours and tell her the hull
racket"
With reassuring squeeze of the
arm the faithful friend gave the bell a
mighty jerk. scudded down the steps
and took up commanding position
on fire plug across the street.
There was hustle Of retreating foot
steps in the passage and the door was
thrown open by one of the six sisters
OF the beloved Of P. Livingston Tidd's
soul. She smiled cheerful welcome,
asked him II he was well, and said that
Minnie would be down in a minute.
The mouth of Tidd opened and his
head shook, but he could not utter a
word. He stood as though rooted to
the spot until Voice which fioated
gently through the darkness from
across the street said:
go on In, you chump!
He started, took off the shining hat,
dropped 1t as he crossed the threshold,
stumbled against 1t and sent 1t spin
ming down the passage
"Merciful heavensF' said the Voice,
plaintively, Ego light on that hat will
youp"
Then the door closed and Mr.. Tidd
wandered into the parlor and wished
that he were dead. Shortly after that
the girl with the placid face, and she
had, too, plump figure, pretty
hand and kind heart, came timidly
in, and the six sisters arranged them
selves on the stairs while the fat moth
er of the family sat on the top step and
cried with the keenest enjoyment.
There was an awful hush. Mr.. Tidd
stepped on his feet, and found his
hands of measureless size. He had re-
nounced the hat forever, but he still
carried the cane as though 1t weighed
thousand pounds, and might rise il
not watched and smite him at any mo-
ment. Minnie asked him in tremb-
ling little voice, as she sat on the edge
of her chair, with her eyes very wide
open and her little hands interlocked,
if the weather was warmer or colder,
and he answered something that sound
ed like "Quite So" but it might have
been any thing else. What the deuce
was the matter with that cane7 It be-
gan to wobble, and the unhappy Tidd
became miserably conscious that it
would get away from him in spite Of
his efforts. He clutched at it wildly,
but it eluded him and fell to the floor.
With gasp he leaned down to pick 1t
up, and as he did so he glanced at the
little maiden who sat so near him. Her
eyes shone with such gentle sympathy
and love that the poor fellow sank on
his knees, put his arms around her
waist, and hid his face in her neck,
while she timorously stroked his hair.
And 50 the deed was done. Blakety
Hall, in ~ Y. Sun.